Kazan, McCarthyism and On The Waterfront

Elia Kazan was born in Constantinople (now Istanbul) on September 7th 1909. Kazan directed many films ranging in time from 1937 to 1976. During this time Kazan was able to direct some of the most powerful movies of his time. these include:

• Streetcar Named Desire
• Viva Zapata
• East of Eden
• America, America
• On The Waterfront
• Gentleman's Agreement

Elia Kazan was awarded 2 best director awards from the Academy Awards for his work on Gentleman's Agreement and On the Waterfront.

Besides being known for such standout movies as listed above, Kazan is also known for another event that shaped the future of American Culture and Filmmaking. Kazan Testified in 1952 in front of the House Un-American Activities pointing out supposed Communist in the film industry. During the testimony he "gave the committee the names of eight supposed communists who were subsequently blacklisted in hollywood" (infoplease.com). The eight people that Kazan named as communists were some of his old friends from "the Group Theatre who in the 1930s, along with him, had been members of the American Communist Party" (pbs.org). The reason why this was such a changing affect on American Culture and film is simply the fact that these people were subsequently blacklisted from Hollywood and were no longer able to direct, act in Hollywood. Many of these individuals were left without work and some even fled the country. This in turn changed the landscape of filming forever and many too this day disagree with blacklisting in Hollywood. Much of this had stembed when a " young Senetor Joseph McCarthy made a public accusation that more than two hundred "card carrying" communists had infiltrated the United States Government" (pbs.org).

Some people even make a connection between Kazans own ordeal and his so called redemption two years later through the film On the Waterfront. Although the two individuals ordeals are different in nature, both Kazan and Malloy had to choose what avenue to take. you could even make the argument that Elia Kazan was trying to portray his ownself in the movie through Terry Malloy as upstanding and moral, and that the choice he made was the right one.

references:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/kazan1.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001415.bio

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/kazan_e.html

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/mccarthyism.html

photos:

http://www.einsiders.com/features/columns/sept03obituaries.php

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/kazan_e.html

Fads and popular Items of the Fifties

Although this is not quite related to the movie i thought i would give a list of the things that were popular items during the fifties

FADS:

• hula hoops
• 3-D movies
• Poodles
• TVs in the home
• Pez
• Coonskin Caps
• sideburns
• saddle shoes
• bumblegum cigars

MUSIC:

• Nat King Cole
• Elvis Presley
• Buddy Holly

PERSONALITIES:

• James Dean
• Marilyn Monroe
• Mickey Mantle

TELEVISION:

• Ed Sullivan Show
• Gunsmoke
• The Honeymooners
• Leave it to Beaver

References:

http://www.fiftiesweb.com/fashion/fads.htm

http://www.wgeneration.com

http://www.crazyfads.com/50s.htm

The 1950s Ideal. The Fashionable Woman in relation to starlet Eva Marie Saint

Eva Marie Saint epitomized the ideals of feminine beauty in the 1950s. Saint was a marker for fashionable beauty from head to toe, personifying what was then the hair styles and fashions of the time.

Evas hair could be classified as almost prototype of style in that day where "fifties hairstyles were soft and curly"(FiftiesWeb). Strait hair was not fashionable at all and accomplishing the curly or wavy locks was accomplished by the use of many rollers and pins which woman slept in all night.n Today this may seem like painstaking measures that woman would go through to fit the beauty ideals.


Also Saints outterwear which is seen in a large part of the movie predicts what is, or what will soon be the style. Coats were always long and elegant in style. Women tended to try and portray themselves as elegant, fashionable and feminine. The FiftiesWeb even stated that " women were expected to dress smartly at all times, choice of coat completed an ensemble" (FiftiesWeb).

references:

hairstyles: http://www.fiftiesweb.com/fashion/fashion-wh.htm

Coats: http://www.fiftiesweb.com/fashion/fashion-wc.htm

photos:

http://www.staleywise.com/collection/basch/basch_eva_marie_saint_b.jpg

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/allposters/mmph/174938_rt.jpg

http://www.fiftiesweb.com/fashion/fashion-wh.htm

http://www.limburg.be/BIBLIOTHEEK/filmstills/onthewaterfront.jpg

http://www.fashion-era.com/1950s/1950s_a10_fashion_coats_1955.htm

Synopsis of On The Waterfront

I figured the best way to acquaint people with this film is to give a brief overview of the movie, hopefully without giving away to much of what happens so that if one decides to see On the Waterfront I will not have given away its ending. So for those not familiar with the film here is a brief synopsis.


Terry Malloy is a one-time prizefighter who now spends his days working as a longshoreman to earn a living, while sometimes running errands for the corrupt union boss Johnny Friendly. During one of his dealings for Friendly, Malloy inadvertently lures a fellow worker Joey Doyle, who wouldn't comply with Friendly, to his death. Now enters the lovely and serine Edie Doyle (Eva Marie Saint), the sister of Joey Doyle, who will stop at nothing to find out who is responsible for her brothers murder and to bring them to justice.

When Terry meets Edie he is immediately struck by her beauty and soft nature. As Terrys relationship with Edie grows, so too does his feelings of remorse for his actions involved in her brothers death. This eventually leads to Terry confessing to Edie about his part in Joeys murder. In the end Terry must choose between his loyalty to Friendly (who is out to see Malloy silenced) or to testify against Johnny Friendly and his thugs at the Waterfront Crime commission.

photo reference:

http://www.impawards.com/1954/on_the_waterfront.html

http://www.moderntimes.com/palace/50_image/front.jpg

Welcome to On The Waterfront

Charlie: Look, kid, I - how much you weigh, son? When you weighed one hundred and sixty-eight pounds you were beautiful. You coulda been another Billy Conn, and that skunk we got you for a manager, he brought you along too fast.

Terry: It wasn't him, Charley, it was you. Remember that night in the Garden you came down to my dressing room and you said, "Kid, this ain't your night. We're going for the price on Wilson." You remember that? "This ain't your night"! My night! I coulda taken Wilson apart! So what happens? He gets the title shot outdoors on the ballpark and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Palooka-ville! You was my brother, Charley, you shoulda looked out for me a little bit. You shoulda taken care of me just a little bit so I wouldn't have to take them dives for the short-end money.

Charlie: Oh I had some bets down for you. You saw some money.

Terry: You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charley.

quotes taken directly from the film, On The Waterfront, 1954, Staring Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Producer Elia Kazan